Conner Kent
by Dennis Fielder
Summary: A puppet is given life by an angel, and now young Conner must choose right from wrong on his many adventures to become a real boy, with help from his conscience, his friend Raven.
1. When You Wish Upon a Star

I've gotten into writing Disney Teen Titans stuff, so here's a new one.

Disclaimer: Pinocchio belongs to Disney, and the Teen Titans and any other DC characters I use belong to Warner Brothers and their respective creators.

**Conner Kent**

Prologue: When You Wish Upon a Star

Raven was getting her daughter Kara ready for bed.

"Ready for bed, sweetie?" Raven asked.

"No!" Kara said giggling. "I wanna see Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa."

"Where look there." Raven said as she looked out of the window. "The wishing star. Now try and make your wish, and the wish will come true."

"Really?" Kara asked as she hugged a stuffed lion her grandmother had given her.

"Of course sweetie." Raven said. She then sung to her as she got her into her bed and tucked her in.

_When you wish upon a star  
Makes no difference who you are  
Anything your heart desires  
Will come to you_

_If your heart is in your dream  
No request is too extreme  
When you wish upon a star  
As dreamers do_

_Fate is kind  
She brings to those who love  
The sweet fulfillment of  
Their secret longing_

_Like a bolt out of the blue  
Fate steps in and sees you through  
When you wish upon a star  
Your dreams come true_

"What did you think of that?" Raven asked as she sat down on Kara's bed.

"It was pretty." Kara said.

"Yeah, but I bet you don't believe it, about a wish coming true, do you?" Raven asked.

"No." Kara said.

"Well I didn't either, sweetie." Raven said with a smile. "I may be someone in her thirties singing to her daughter, but would you like Mommy to tell you what changed her mind?"

"Yes!" Kara said excitedly.

"Okay, calm down sweetie." Raven said with a giggle as she pulled out a photo album and turned to the first page.

"One night, a long time ago, when I was still a little girl, I had run away from an orphanage and ended up in a small town called Smallville."

"Yay!" Kara said as she clapped her hands. "That's where we are!"

"Shh." Raven said with a smile. "Let Mommy tell the story, dear."

"It was a beautiful night." Raven continued. "The stars were shining like diamonds high above the roofs of that sleepy old town. It was as pretty as a picture. As I walked down the street, there wasn't a soul to be seen. The only light came from a local wood-carver and farmer's house that belonged to a couple called the Kents. I walked over and looked in. Everything was made of wood, and there were tons of clocks. I also saw a fire in the grate and figured that it shouldn't go to waste, so I walked in."

* * *

Ooh, Raven, what were you doing breaking and entering.

Raven: Quiet, I'm trying to get my daughter to sleep, and she won't if you keep interrupting the story.


	2. The Wishing Star

Chapter One: The Wishing Star

Raven snuck into the unlocked door and looked around. She was in a gray cloak to keep her warm and wore a black leotard underneath as she had run away during a stupid ballet class. She looked around and saw the prettiest clocks she had ever seen with several interesting designs and a large one that looked very life sized and high up enough that she could climb under it. When she saw that no one was there, she made herself at home and looked around. She saw several music boxes and shelf after shelf of the best toys she'd ever seen. She then turned and saw one of the most beautiful wood carvings she'd ever seen. A puppet boy that looked like he was supposed to be five, Raven's own age, and he was wearing a yellow shirt with a red jacket, white gloves and tiny blue jeans. She also saw that he was a marionette with several strings and wires attacked to various parts of his body with a puppet controller.

"He looks cool." Raven said aloud as she walked up to him and tapped his head. "And the wood's good too."

"Well know," a voice said, and Raven hid underneath the very large music box and saw all the gears such that worked it underneath.

She then poked her head out to see a man and a woman come down. Both had black hair, and the man wore glasses. He wore an outfit similar to the puppets except it was worn in places as if he'd had it for several years and the woman wore a modest dress.

()()()()()

"It won't take much longer." Clark said as he grabbed a paint brush. "Just a little more paint, and he's all finished."

"It's about time." Lois said with a smile. This little puppet her husband and she had been working on together was probably the closest thing they'd ever have to a son due to Lois being unable to have children. Krypto came up and panted as he looked at Clark and Lois.

"I'll think he'll be alright." Clark said as he grabbed a canister of black paint. "Don't you think so, Krypto?"

Krypto barked happily, and Lois smiled. Clark hummed as he drew eyebrows on the boy's head along with a smile across his face. It made him look like he was almost alive, and for a second, the fire light shining on his already dried eyes made Lois believe he was real until she sighed.

()()()()()

"Cool." Raven whispered as she poked her head out and looked at the puppet. He looked like he was smiling about the fact that he was finished, the same way everyone else smiled.

()()()()()

"I have just the name for him." Clark said. "Conner. What do you think dear?"

"Eh." Lois said. It seemed to fit, but it wasn't one that she'd have chosen. She'd have gone with Jason or Chris.

"Well you like it, don't you Krypto?" Clark asked, and Krypto shook his head.

"Well I guess it's up to Conner to decide." Clark said with a wry smile. "Do you like it, Conner?"

Clark tugged gently on the string connected to the puppet's head, and it nodded.

"Oh, you silly boy." Lois said with a laugh. "Conner will probably grow on me."

Lois picked Conner up and looked at him. She and Clark both wished that he was real. She sighed and took him to the fire place to dry the new paint out before Krypto started sniffing Conner's face.

()()()()()

After Conner was dried, Clark walked over to the music box Raven was hiding under.

"I think it's time for a little music." Clark said, and he pushed a button, and a nice song played as Clark used the puppet control to move Conner around.

Raven however couldn't focus on that as the gears and stuff were coming down on her, particularly on her bottom, and she tried hard not to cry out and felt like she was being spanked back at the orphanage. She eventually came out, rubbing her rear and groaning as she decided to hide behind the music box and listened to what was happening.

()()()()()

Clark was moving Conner around as Lois laughed and followed with Krypto looking around Conner and sniffing all over.

_Little Conner Kent,_

_Go play your part._

_Bring a little joy_

_To every heart._

_Little do you know,_

_And yes it's true,_

_That I'm mighty_

_Proud of you._

_Little wooden feat,_

_And best of all,_

_Little wooden seat,_

_In case you fall._

Clark then lifted Conner up a little and set him back down to make it look like he fell.

"Oh, what a graceful fall." Lois said as she straightened Conner up.

_Our little Conner Kent._

()()()()()_  
_

Raven had watched this and liked the song and thought the fall was funny but wondered why they were talking to Conner like he was real. It wasn't like wanting him to come to life would make him do that. She then busied herself with looking at the music box she had been under. A conductor was leading an orchestra with one man playing a violin and another playing the accordion. The one in the middle was literally whistling the tune that was playing which was what really impressed Raven.

When she saw Clark and Lois turning around, she jumped on a small spot and did robotic versions of the simpler dances she'd learned at the orphanage, it worked and they passed her by. She then got off and went back to watching them, which she figured would be where she should really look in case something happened.

()()()()()

Clark then had Conner walk up to Lois and wave his hand.

"Conner, say hi to your mom." Clark said with a smile before saying in a higher voice, "'Hi Mom.'"

"Oh, hello there." Lois said as she joined in with the pretending, and picked him up. "You are so cute and sweet. Oh, go say hi to Krypto. Go on."

Clark then took Conner to Krypto and had him pet Krypto as he became nervous when he liked how Conner's gloved hand felt on his back and stood up and panted, easily beating Conner in height without needing to extend his hind legs, and Clark had Conner push Krypto down, so that he fell.

"Up to mischief already." Clark said with a small chuckle as Krypto whimpered.

"Now you see what happens when you're mean?" Clark asked. He then had Conner pet Krypto again, and he rubbed his head next to him as a sign of forgiveness.

"Up we go." Clark said as he lifted Conner up and looked at the little wooden boy he'd carved. "You're a cute little fellow."

"And we'd never trade you for anything in the whole world." Lois added as she looked as well.

Krypto put his fore paws on Clark's leg as he barked.

"Oh, you like him too, huh?" Clark asked. "Well it's nice to agree on something like this."

Suddenly, all the clocks in the store went off, and each had an interesting motive from ducks quaking in a pond to children giggling.

"Gee, I wonder what time it is." Lois asked with a sarcastic smile.

"It's nine already?" Clark asked. "We better get ready for bed."

Clark and Lois walked up with Krypto as Conner was set down on the table.

"Good night, Conner." Clark said with a yawn.

"Good night, Conner." Lois said as she took Conner's nose and shook it gently. "You little mischief maker."

()()()()()

From her hiding place, Raven yawned too, and as they went up stairs, she followed and listened to what they said.

"Good night, boy." Mr. Kent said as he got into bed.

"Good night, Krypto." Mrs. Kent said as Krypto panted happily.

"Good night, dear." Mr. Kent said with a yawn.

"Good night, Smallville." Mrs. Kent said with a smile in her voice, and Raven wondered why Mr. Kent's first name was Smallville.

Raven then yawned and stretched out on a small sofa down stairs, which was close enough that she could still hear what Mr. and Mrs. Kent said.

"Dear, you outdid yourself with Conner." Mrs. Kent said. "He almost looked as if he was really alive."

"Yeah." Mr. Kent said with a sigh. "Wouldn't it be nice if he really was alive?"

"Yeah." Mrs. Kent said wishfully. "Well, enough dreams. I'd say it's time for bed."

"Right." Mr. Kent said.

"Dear, you forgot to open the window." Mrs. Kent said after a few minutes.

"Oh, right." Mr. Kent replied, and Raven was about to go to sleep when a shout from Mr. Kent made her jump out of the couch and land on her already sore behind.

()()()()()

"Look, Lois! Clark said with a smile. "The wishing star!"

"I think you know the drill." Lois said with a smile of her own.

"Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I make tonight." Clark said. "I wish Conner was a real boy."

"I do to." Lois said with a sad smile as she kissed Clark on the cheek. "Let's go to bed, Clark."

They went to sleep, their dreams filled with the laughter of a living Conner Kent.

()()()()()

"That's a nice thought." Raven said as she got ready to sleep again. "Even if it's impossible."

Raven was about to go to sleep when the ticking of the clocks, and the dripping of the fountain started, and she couldn't get herself to shut the noise out due to its continuous beat.

"QUIET!" Raven shouted, and everything was silent, and Raven sighed. "Finally. A girl can only take so much in one night."

Suddenly, a bright light came from up stairs and was coming down.

"Oh, what now?" Raven asked as she covered herself up and hoped that the Kents' didn't notice a large child-shaped lump on their sofa. When the light got brighter, Raven took her head out of the covers and shouted. "What's going on here?"

Suddenly, a woman walked down with a long straight sword in her hand. She didn't carry a light, but light was coming from her, and it was reflected by the sword. She had long red hair and green eyes. She was one of the most beautiful grown-up women Raven ever saw, and she also saw that she was dressed in a long blue dress that went down to her feet, and wings came out of her back. They looked like hawk wings. She looked up the stairs.

"Holy cow." Raven whispered.

"Clark and Lois Kent, you two have given so much happiness to others through all the trinkets you give, that you deserve to have your wish come true." The, there was no other word for it, angel walked from the stairs to Conner and starred at him like an aunt. "Little puppet made of pine, awake. This gift of life is thine."

Then, to Raven's amazement, the puppet moved! He blinked a few times and moved his arms around, with the strings seeming to have disappeared.

"Wow." Raven said. "What people can't do these days."

"I can move." Conner said before putting his hand to his mouth in shock and surprise. "I can talk!" The angel laughed kindly as Conner stood up and was about to walk when he fell down.

"Yes Conner." The angel said with a smile. "I gave you life."

"Why?" Conner asked.

"Because tonight, Clark and Lois wished for a real boy." The angel said.

"Am I a real boy?" Conner asked.

"Not yet Conner." The angel said. "To make your parents' wish to completely come true will be entirely up to you."

"Huh?" Conner asked.

"Prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish, and someday you will be a real boy." The angel said.

"Hooray!" Conner said.

"That's not gonna be easy." Raven whispered.

"Who are you?" Conner asked.

"I'm Shayera." Shayera said. "Now to be a real boy, you'll have to choose between right and wrong."

"Right and wrong?" Conner asked. "But how will I know."

"Sounds like a real boy already." Raven grumbled. "So dumb he doesn't know what right and wrong is."

"Your conscience will tell you." Shayera explained patiently.

"What's a conscience?" Conner asked.

"What's a conscience?" Raven asked as she ran up. "I'll tell you! A conscience is the voice that tells people right from wrong, and that's why people can be so mean because they don't listen to it."

"Are you my conscience?" Conner asked.

"No, I'm a girl." Raven said.

"What's a girl?" Conner asked.

"The opposite of a boy." Raven said.

"Well would you like to be Conner's conscience?" Shayera asked.

"Um…" Raven said. "Well…"

"Of course it is a job for a big girl." Shayera said with a smile.

"I am a big girl!" Raven protested. "I'm five years old!"

"Alright then." Shayera said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"I'm Raven." Raven said.

"Kneel Raven." Shayera said.

"Okay." Raven said as she knelt down. "Now what?"

"Now, I dub you, Conner Kent's conscience. Lady High Keeper of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong, Chief Councilor in the Face of Temptation, and Guide along the Straight and Narrow Path."

With those words, Shayera touched both of Raven's shoulders with the flat of the sword she held, and suddenly, Raven's entire outfit turned the purest white.

"Cool!" Raven said. "Can I have a badge too?"

"Maybe someday." Shayera said with a smile.

"Can it have really cool letters like in story books?" Raven asked again.

"We'll see." Shayera said.

"Can it be gold?" Raven asked.

"We'll see." Shayera said again. She then turned to Conner. "Now remember Conner, be a good boy, and always let your conscience be your guide."

With that, Shayera disappeared in a slow and soft flash of light.

"Wow." The two children said.

* * *

Well… That was interesting.

Raven: I said be quiet, Doug! Don't make me turn you into my next child!

Kara: Yay! Do it, Mommy! I want a little brother!


	3. Give A Little Whistle

Chapter Two: Give a Little Whistle

Conner turned to Raven.

"Now what?" Conner asked.

"Oh yeah." Raven said. "I should probably begin with a heart to heart about how to tell right and wrong."

"Why?" Conner asked.

"Well you wanna be a real boy, right?" Raven asked.

"Uh-huh." Conner answered.

"Okay, then sit down." Conner sat down on the bench as Raven climbed up to sit next to him. "Let's see, first the world is full of temptations."

"What are temptations?" Conner asked.

"They're the choices that seem right at the time but are actually wrong." Raven said, and then she got confused. "But even when the right things may seem wrong at the time, sometimes the wrong things… Um… Maybe right at the wrong time… Or visa-versa…" Raven had no idea what she just said. "Do you understand what I just said?"

"Uh-uh." Conner said.

"Good." Raven replied.

"But I'm gonna do right!" Conner said with a smile.

"That's the spirit, Conner!" Raven said with a smile. "And I'll help you! If you ever need me, just whistle, like this."

Raven whistled.

"Like this?" Conner asked, and he just blew.

"No." Raven said.

"Like this?" Conner asked again as he blew some more.

"No, now listen." Raven said, and she whistled three times, going up a pitch every time. Superboy blew the same way until he finally whistled at the last one. "That's it! Come on, let's sing it!"

"Okay." Conner said.

_When you get in trouble,_

_And you don't know right from wrong,_

_Give a little whistle._

_Give a little whistle._

_When you meet temptation,_

_And the urge is very strong,_

_Give a little whistle._

_Give a little whistle._

_Not just a little squeak._

_Pucker up and blow._

_And if your whistle's weak, yell._

"Raven?" Conner asked.

"Right!" Raven said with a smile.

_Take the straight and narrow path,_

_And if you start to slide,_

_Give a little whistle._

_Give a little whistle._

_And always let your conscience be your guide._

Raven put her hand on an unused violin when a string snapped and hit her in the rear.

"OUCH!" Raven called out.

"Are you okay?" Conner asked.

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't lean on instruments."

_Take the straight and narrow path,_

_And if you start to slide,_

_Give a little whistle!_

_Give a little whistle!_

_And always let your conscience be your guide!_

Raven then hopped down.

"_And always let my conscience be my guide!_"

Conner walked to the side, so that he wouldn't land in front of Raven when he got tripped up in painting cans and fell over.

"Ah, look out!" Raven yelled, but it was too late, and there was a resounding crash.

()()()()()

Clark and Lois shout out of their beds in alarm.

"Who's there?" Clark called out.

"Me!" A little boy's voice said from downstairs.

"Oh thank goodness it's just me." Lois said as she and Clark were about to go back to sleep when their brains suddenly jumped back into action.

"ME?" Clark and Lois asked at the same time. Clark then walked down cautiously in case someone else was down there. They went down with Krypto in front when they saw a mess by the counter with Conner on the floor.

"Oh, Conner, how'd you get down there?" Lois asked as she picked him up and was about to put him back on the bench.

"I fell down." Conner said.

"Oh, are you o- What?" Lois asked as she blinked.

"You're talking?" Clark said as he blinked.

"Yup." Conner said with a smile.

"No, no, that can't be." Clark said.

"Yeah, and I can move too." Conner said as he got up and waved his arms.

"No, this is impossible!" Lois said. "We're just dreaming! Clark, wake me up! WAKE ME UP!"

Clark pinched Lois in the shoulder.

"Ow." Lois said. "Oh, Clark must be the one that's asleep then."

Lois pinched Clark.

"Ow." Clark said.

"I guess we just imagined it then." Lois said.

"Right." Clark said. "Imagined it. Now Conner, say something."

"You two are funny!" Conner said with a laugh. "Do that again."

"You do talk!" Clark said in surprise.

"Yeah!" Conner said. "An angel named Shayera came and brought me to life."

"An angel named Shayera?" Lois asked.

"Yeah, and I got a conscience." Conner said. "You wanna meet her?"

"Uh… Sure." Clark said.

Conner hopped down from the bench and ran to the largest music box and pulled from behind it a five-year-old girl in a pure white leotard with a matching cloak.

"Hi." Raven said nervously. "Um… I… Kinda snuck in while you were putting the finishing touches on Conner, and I was afraid that if I told you I was here, you'd send me back to the orphanage."

"Oh, well you're welcome to stay here." Lois said. "What's your name?"

"Raven Roth." Raven said.

"With her help, I'm gonna be a real boy some day!" Conner said excitedly.

"Well whether it's today, tomorrow, or next year, our wish came true, right Lois?" Clark asked.

"Of course it did, oh come to Mommy sweetie." Lois said as she picked Conner up and kissed his forehead.

"Krypto, look!" Clark said excitedly. "He's alive, and he can talk."

"Go on, sweetie, say hi to Krypto." Lois said as she knelt down and placed Conner in front of Krypto.

"Hello to Krypto." Conner said as he petted Krypto, and he panted and began licking his face as Superboy giggled.

"Oh, Krypto, no." Lois said. "No licking Conner's face, you might wash the pain off."

"Oh, he's fine." Clark said with a smile. "I think this calls for a celebration."

Clark pushed a button by the large music box, and Raven backed away a little as Clark held Conner now and was pushing several buttons.

"Your turn to start one, Conner." Clark said.

Conner pushed one, and he laughed at the music coming from apparently nowhere.

The four then danced around in a circle as Krypto ran around them and barked happily.

()()()()()

As everyone danced around, Conner looked at a yellow and orange thing on top of a long white thing as he stared.

"Ooh, nice." Conner said. He tried to grab it, but he couldn't. He then held his finger out, and the thing on top spread to the tip of his finger.

"Look Mom and Dad!" Conner said as he walked up. "Isn't it pretty?"

"AH!" The other three screamed. Clark picked Conner up, turned on a nearby sink, and put Conner's finger under the water.

"Phew." Clark said. "That was close."

"No playing with fire, young man." Lois said firmly but not unkindly.

"Why?" Conner asked.

"Because you'll get burned." Lois explained.

"What's burned mean?" Conner asked.

"It means you'll end up as a pile of ashes and die." Raven said.

"What's die mean?" Conner asked.

"It means you won't live anymore." Lois said.

"Oh." Conner said.

"Now let's go to bed before anything else happens." Clark said.

They then took Raven and Conner up to their room as Clark took Conner into the bathroom to put some pajamas from the attic on him, so Raven could put on a nightgown Lois had saved privately.

"Now, we'll all have to sleep in the same bed tonight." Clark said. "Tomorrow, I'll build two new beds for you two."

"Thank you, Mr. Kent." Raven said as she snuggled down with a yawn as Krypto lied down between Conner and Raven.

"Now go to sleep dear." Lois said as she made sure Conner and Raven were tucked in, and Raven was already asleep and petting Krypto.

"Why?" Conner asked.

"Oh everybody has to sleep." Clark explained. "Your mom sleeps. I sleep. Raven sleeps. Krypto sleeps, and besides, tomorrow, you're going to your first day of school."

"Why?" Conner asked.

"To learn things." Lois said with a yawn. "And get smart."

"Why?" Conner asked.

"Because." Clark said with a yawn as he and Lois nodded off.

"Oh." Conner said as he snuggled next to Krypto and petted him with Raven. "Good night Dad."

"Night son." Clark said without waking up.

"Good night Mom." Conner said.

"Night son." Lois said without waking up either.

"I love you." Conner said as he fell asleep, and Lois and Clark waked up a little as they smiled at their new boy, and the girl who would probably be staying with them for awhile.

"We love you too." They both said as they made sure both children were comfortably covered, and they went to sleep.

* * *

Aw…

Raven: That does it.

Me: No wait! I didn't mean it!

Kara (sleepily): Yay!


	4. An Actor's Life for Me

Chapter Three: An Actor's Life for Me

The next day, after breakfast, which Conner found out was a meal people had in the day to keep them going until the afternoon, Conner and his parents stepped outside as Conner starred in awe at the children and ran around as Lois tried to put his jacket on.

"Oh, look at all of them Mom and Dad!" Conner said excitedly.

"Wait a minute, sweetie." Lois said. "I have to get your jacket on, so you won't get cold."

"Who are those little people?" Conner asked.

"They're children off to school." Clark said. "Girls and boys."

"Oh boy!" Conner called out as Lois finally managed to put his jacket on, and he was about to run off.

"Whoa, hold on for a second there, Conner." Clark said with a laugh as he picked Conner up and gave him an apple. "This is for you to give your teacher. You know, start things off on the right foot."

"Why?" Conner asked.

"So that you two can get along right away." Lois explained. "And here are your books."

"Now turn around and let us look at you." Clark said, and Conner turned around from the neck down, and the two smiled at him. "Now run along now."

Krypto then rushed off to follow Conner before Clark and Lois stopped him.

"Hold on boy." Clark said with a chuckle as he held Krypto's collar. "School's not for you."

Krypto whimpered a little before he rushed up stairs to lick Raven, who they let sleep late for a little, awake.

"Bye Mom!" Conner called out as he left. "Bye Dad!"

"Bye son!" Clark said. "See you tonight!"

"Stay safe, Conner!" Lois called out. "Hurry back after school's over."

They then went inside.

()()()()()

Coming down the road was a man with black hair and an eye-patch over his left eye. He was accompanied by a blonde girl with her hair in pig tails and dressed in a red skirt with a black sweater. The man wore an orange top hat with a black cloak over a gray suit. This man's name was Slade Wilson, and his companion was Harley Quinzell.

"Ah, Harley, listen." Slade said. "The laughter of children on their way to school. Thirsty minds on their way to the fountain of knowledge."

"Those poor morons." Harley said with a smile.

"Now, now." Slade said with a smirk as he picked up a stray cigar. "School's a noble institution. After all, what would this stupid country be without-?"

Slade suddenly stopped and looked at a picture that said, "**The Great Lex Luthor's Marionette Show**"

"Well, well, well." Slade said. "Lex Luthor. So the old rascals back in town." Slade then laughed. "Remember Harley, the time Jack and I dressed you as a harlequin and tried strings on you, and we tried to pass you off as a puppet? We nearly put one over on the old chrome dome that time."

"Yeah." Harley said with a smile. "Poor Jack. We've really gotta visit him in the slammer again."

"Someday, my dear." Slade said with a smile. "Someday."

As they continued down the street, they passed a boy on his way to school, a wooden boy with black hair.

"Huh." Slade said. "A wooden boy." After a few seconds, the shock of what he just saw hit him. "A WOODEN BOY?"

"Holy cow!" Harley exclaimed. "Just look at him!"

"I know, Harley." Slade said. "A puppet that moves along without strings and apparently of his own free will. That'll be worth a fortune to someone, now who…" Slade then smirked as he thought of the poster. "Of course! Luthor! That phony would pay a fortune for something like this!"

"Sweet!" Harley called out.

"Listen, we play our cards right, we'll be on easy street, or my name isn't Honest Slade Wilson." Slade said.

"Can we get Jack out of the slammer after we sell the squirt to LL?" Harley asked.

"Of course dear." Slade said. "We better hurry before he gets to school."

They rushed to a corner just in front of the wooden boy, and Slade smirked.

"Now here's the plan." Slade said when he turned to Harley and saw she was carrying a ridiculously large mallet.

"Not that way stupid." Slade said as he pulled the mallet from her hands. "Let's not be crude. I'll handle this."

Slade then stood by the corner and extended a cane he'd grabbed out as he appeared to be talking to Harley.

"As I was saying to our associate just the other day, Harley-" Slade began when just as he planned, the wooden boy tripped on the cane and fell over. "Oh my poor boy, I'm so sorry. I do hope you're alright."

"I'm fine." The boy said as Slade surreptitiously slapped Harley's hand away from the boy's pocket.

"Well, well." Slade said as he picked up the book the boy was carrying. It was an alphabet book for kindergartners. "A man of letter's I see. It's not often we meet a scholar is it, Harley?"

"Nope." Harley said.

"Here's your book." Slade said as Harley pocketed the apple as the boy wasn't looking.

"I'm going to school!" The boy said.

"Ah, school." Slade said as he put an arm around the boy. "I guess you haven't heard of the easy way to success."

"Uh-uh." The boy said.

"No?" Slade said in surprise. "I'm speaking, my boy, of the theater!" Slade might have made a good actor himself with all the dramatic cons he pulled. He then tugged the apple away from Harley before she could eat it and handed it back to Conner. "Here's your apple. Anyway, the theater. Bright lights, applause, fame!"

"Fame?" The boy asked.

"Yes!" Slade said. "And with that personality, that profile, that physique! Why he's a natural born actor, eh, Harley?"

"Oh, he'll make all the kindergartner girls melt." Harley said. "Everyone will wanna be friends with… Um… What's your name?"

"Conner Kent." The boy said.

"Conner Kent!" Harley called out. "I can see it on big letters over the box office! C-O-N… Uh… How do you spell 'Conner' Mr. W?"

"You're the former secretary, how did you spell 'Conner'?" Slade asked.

"With three 'n's and a 'u'." Harley explained.

"Three 'n's and a 'u'?" Slade asked.

"Well that way it looks like a typo, and it'll be up to da guy who got it ta figure it out." Harley said.

"You two are funny." Conner said with a laugh.

"Oh, you should see Jack, but he's in-" Harley began before Slade cut her off.

"Another town at the moment, but we're wasting precious time." Slade then put his hand on Conner's shoulder. "On to the theater!"

_Hi-Diddiley-Dee_

_An actor's life for me!_

_A high silk hat_

_And a silver cane._

_A watch of gold_

_With a diamond chain._

_Hi-Diddiley-Day_

_An actor's life is gay!_

_It's great to be a celebrity._

_An actor's life for me!_

_Hi-Diddiley-Dun!_

_An actor's life is fun!_

They walked off in the direction of where Lex Luthor's carriage was.

()()()()()

Raven was sleeping in the bed as she was being shaken.

"Raven, wake up." A voice said. It didn't sound like the mean lady who ran the orphanage. She opened her eyes and saw a lady with purple eyes and black hair, and it all fell back in place.

"Oh shoot!" Raven called out.

She rushed out of bed, tossed off the night-gown Mrs. Kent had given her and tossed on her freshly clean leotard and grabbed her cloak as she rushed down.

"See you tonight Mr. and Mrs. Kent!" Raven shouted as she ran out of the door.

"A fine conscience I am." She said to herself as she clasped her cloak around her neck. "I over slept on the first day! Oh well, how much trouble can he get in between home and school?"

Eventually, she arrived at an arch and heard someone humming.

"Ooh, a parade." Raven said with a smile as she watched for it to pass, and she saw Conner in the ground.

"WHAT?" Raven asked in alarm. "Conner? Where is he going?"

Raven ran up and grabbed the girl by her pig tails to get her to stop.

"OUCH!" The girl called out.

"Oh hi, Raven!" Conner said.

"Ah, there's a raven in my hair!" The girl said. "Get it out Mr. W! Get it out!"

"Oh, it's just a little-" the man, Mr. W, said before the girl took out a mallet and tried to smash the supposed raven away when she hit Mr. W on the head, so that his hat ended up over his face.

"Uh-oh." The girl said as she looked down and saw Raven there. "I am in trouble."

"GET MY OUT OF HERE!" Mr. W shouted through the hat.

"Don't worry Mr. W, I've got ya!" The girl pulled the hat off, and she looked at it. "Don't worry Mr. W, da hat is okay!"

Mr. W rubbed his hands through his black hair and pulled the hat away from the girl.

While this happened, Raven took Conner aside.

"Hey Raven!" Conner said excitedly. "I'm gonna be an actor!"

"Oh yeah?" Raven asked. "Remember about temptations, about how the wrong thing may seem right at the time?"

"Yeah." Conner said.

"Well that's basically what this is." Raven said. "That guy and his friend are temptations."

"No they aren't." Conner said in a perfectly friendly way. "That's Mr. Honest Slade and his friend Harley."

"Oh… Boy." Raven mumbled. "Look Conner, you should go to school to get an education and an actual career. Just go over there and tell them that you can't go to the theater, say thank you just the same to be polite and that you're sorry, but you have to go to school."

"Okay." Conner said.

"So Conner, ready to continue?" That Slade guy asked as he walked up and turned Conner away from Raven. "On to the theater, eh?"

"Bye Raven!" Conner called out as he walked on.

"Good-bye?" Raven exclaimed as they walked off. "Conner, we've gotta- You can't-"

Raven watched them walk off.

"What am I supposed to do?" Raven asked herself. "Wait, I can just go tell Mr. and Mrs. Kent! No, wait, I'm supposed to do good things since I'm a conscience, and if I told them that'd be snitching, and that's bad. I'll just go get Conner myself."

Raven then ran off after Conner.

* * *

Oh yeah, that was a real smart choice. A five-year-old goes off to try and take a wooden boy away from a guy like Lex Luthor!

Raven: Two days!

Kara (sleepily): Yay…


	5. I've Got No Strings

Chapter Five: I've Got No Strings

It was dusk as Raven finally found Lex Luthor's wagon, and she saw that a stage was set up in front of it, and a tall well built bald man was talking.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The man, Lex Luthor, said. "To conclude the performance of this great show, Lex Luthor, master showman, yours truly, and by special permission from the management, yours truly again, presents something you will absolutely refuse to believe!"

"Talk about a sell-out." Raven said as she looked at the crowd.

"Introducing the only marionette who can sing and dance without strings, at least I hope." Luthor said, and everyone laughed. "Now, I present, the one, the only, Superboy!"

"Yeash." Raven sighed. "What a build up."

Suddenly, the curtain lifted, and Conner was standing on the top of a disconnected stair way as music started.

"_I've got no strings to hold be down-_" Conner said before he tripped on his feet and fell onto the ground as everybody laughed.

"That's right!" Raven shouted moodily. "Make a fool of yourself, and maybe you'll listen to me next time!"

Luthor picked Conner up.

"Cute kid, huh?" Luthor said after an angry look at Conner. "A singer and a comedian."

The music started again, and Conner stood still.

_I've got no strings to hold me down._

_To make me fret or make me frown._

_I had strings, but now I'm free._

_There are no strings on me._

Conner then hopped across the stage as he made sure he didn't trip again.

_Hi-ho, the-me-ri-o!_

_That's the only way to be._

_I want the world to know,_

_Nothing ever worries me._

Superboy then hopped so hard, one of his legs turned all the way around, nearly tearing the knee part of his jeans.

_I've got no strings, so I can play._

_Unlike the other puppets hung all day._

_They've got strings, but now I'm free._

_There are no strings on me._

Conner then waved at the people as a background of a farm appeared, and a puppet Dutch girl appeared.

_You have no strings, your arms is free._

_To love me by the Zuider Zee_

_Ja, ja, ja, if you would woo,_

_I'd bust my strings for you._

Then several Dutch girls came down and started dancing as Conner looked around and starred.

"I gotta admit that's nice choreography." Raven said as she watched.

Suddenly, a French town background appeared, and a can-can girl showed up.

_You've got no strings __comme ci comme ca__._

_Your savoir-faire is ooh-la-la!_

_I've got strings, but entre nous,_

_I'd cut my strings for you._

Then several puppet girls appeared and did the can-can.

"Oh… This is gonna ruin him." Raven said as she blushed at what the can-can girls were doing.

Just then, a painting of a Moscow appeared as the background, and a Russian girl was dancing around.

_Down where the Volga flows,_

_There's a Russian rendezvous._

_Where me and Ivan go,_

_But I'd rather go with you, hey!_

Then several Russian puppets appeared and danced as Conner watched them and began to imitate them.

"Oh, this won't end well." Raven gulped, and it didn't.

The puppets began spinning, and Conner imitated them until he ended up spinning into them and getting twisted up in their wires until the song ended and Conner called out, "_There are no strings on me!_" Before covering his mouth, believing it to be a lie since he was covered in the other puppets' strings.

Everyone laughed and cheered at Conner managed to free himself as the puppets were pulled up, and several gold coins were thrown up.

"Oh…" Raven said. "Well I guess they love him. He's a success. I guess _I_ was wrong."

Raven then walked away as she began to cry a little.

"I guess he doesn't need me anymore." Raven said as she plopped down on the sidewalk, not sure what to do now. "What does an actor need with a conscience anyway?"

()()()()()

It was starting to rain at the house as Clark and Lois looked out of the door as Krypto looked out as well. All three wondering where Conner was.

"What could have happened to him?" Lois asked as her voice broke. Conner was her son, and she didn't want to lose him. She also wondered where Raven was since she figured that Raven would stick close to Superboy.

"Where could he be at this hour?" Clark asked. He's looked all over town for him. "I better go out again and look for him."

"I'll go too." Lois said, and they both took their rain coats as Krypto looked at his full food dish and shoved it away as he howled at the window.

"Shh." Lois said. "Don't worry Krypto. We'll find them."

As they left, Krypto howled for his new friends, Conner and Raven. He hoped Clark and Lois found them. They were probably scared out there all alone.

* * *

Me: No Raven, don't give up! You've gotta get to him! Who knows what'll happen?

Raven: Shh, shh. Easy Doug, easy.

Doug: But- And-

Kara: Don't be sad, Doug. Be happy.


	6. Truth, Lies, and a Rusty Lock

Chapter Five: Truth, Lies, and a Rusty Lock

Inside Lex's wagon, Conner was watching Lex count the money.

"_I eat the best, and I drink champagne. There are no strings on me._" Lex sang as he counted the yellow and green things he had been given by the people. "Bravo, Conner."

"They liked me." Conner said as he waited for Lex to tell him he could go home for the night.

"Two hundred." Lex said as he put a pile of the yellow things by another pile of yellow things. "You are sensational."

"You mean I'm good?" Conner asked with a smile.

"Three hundred." Lex said as he moved another pile of the yellow things with the others. "You are colossal!"

"Does that mean I'm an actor?" Conner asked.

"Sure." Lex said after he ate an onion he'd just cut with a knife. "I'll push you in the public's eye, and you'll be on everybody's tongue."

"Will it?" Conner asked. That seemed a little extreme to be stepping on people's tongues.

"Of course- huh?" Lex said as he pulled up a dull gray thing with a square hole in the middle. "What's this?"

He bit down and bent it.

"Why that-" Lex said before he smirked and gave it to Conner. "For you, Conner."

"For me?" Conner asked excitedly. "Gee, thanks! I'll go right home and give it to my parents!"

"Home?" Lex asked, and he then started laughing. "Oh sure. You should go home to your parents. That's very comical kid!"

"You mean it's funny?" Conner asked. He wasn't sure what was so funny about going home to Mom and Dad.

"Sure." Lex said as he continued to laugh, and Conner ended up joining in, though he wasn't sure why.

"I'll see you in the morning, sir." Conner said before Lex grabbed him.

"See me in the morning." Lex laughed. "Going home."

Conner laughed along with him until Lex shoved him into a bird cage.

"There!" Lex said. "That's your home, where I can always find you."

"No, no!" Conner shouted.

"Yes, yes!" Lex shouted back. "You belong to me now! It won't be so bad kid. We'll tour the world. Paris, London, Monte Carlo, Constantinople."

"No!" Conner cried. He didn't wanna leave! He wanted to stay with his mom and dad and Raven!

"YES!" Lex shouted. "We're starting tonight. You're going to make me a whole lot of money. And when you grow too old, I'd wager you'd make good fire wood."

Lex then tossed a nearby axe at a cut up and singed puppet in a box by the stove.

"Let me outta here!" Conner cried. "You've gotta let me out! You can't-"

"Shut up before I knock you silly." Lex said as he walked out to drive the wagon off to who knew where. "Good night my little wooden gold mine."

"No, no, wait!" Conner shouted as the lights in the wagon turned off, and he shook the bars of his cage. "Let me out! I'll tell my mom and dad on you!"

The cage then shook as the wagon started.

"Raven?" Conner shouted. He should have listened to Raven and gone off to school. "Raven where are you?" He whistled again and again. "RAVEN!"

A clap of thunder sounded, and Conner huddled into a corner and cried. He was all alone.

()()()()()

Raven had her hood up and watched Lex Luthor's wagon heading out.

"There he goes." Raven said. "Off to fame and fortune. The lap of luxury. The world at his feet. Oh well. At least I can say I knew him when he was normal. I just wish I could've wished him luck." Then Raven smiled. "Hey, why can't I now?"

She rushed off and managed to hold on to the wagon as she got in. Luckily, Luthor left the door unlocked, so she could go right in.

"Conner?" Raven asked. "You in here? It's me, Raven."

"Raven!" Conner said from a… A bird cage? "Am I glad to see you!"

"Conner, what happened?" Raven asked as she stood on a chair to talk to him without spraining her neck. "What'd he do to you?"

"Oh, he was mean." Conner said. "He said he was gonna shove my face into everybody's eyes and make me step on their tongues."

"That's gross!" Raven exclaimed.

"Yeah, and just because I'm a gold mine, he's gonna chop me into fire wood when I grow up!" Conner said.

"That big meanie!" Raven said. "Don't worry, Conner. I'll get you out."

She grabbed a hairpin she saw on the table and began to fiddle with the lock.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Conner asked.

"Yeah, I read about someone doing this in a book once." Raven said.

After several minutes, the pin stopped moving, and she couldn't pull it out or do anything with it.

"Oh, it's stuck!" Raven said as she took off her cloak. "I just need some extra oomph and-"

The pin snapped out and hit Raven in the head as she landed on the floor. It had made a small cut over her forehead.

"Ouch." Raven groaned. "The stupid hair pin broke."

"You mean you can't open it?" Conner asked sadly.

"It'll take a miracle to get us out of this mess." Raven said, and who ever heard of a miracle happening to an orphaned, run-away girl and a wooden boy? She didn't say this out loud as she didn't wanna upset her friend.

()()()()()

Clark and Lois were looking around the city as the rain came down in buckets.

"Conner?" Clark called out.

"Conner?" Lois screamed.

No answer. All that came was a wagon coming across the street, driven by a bald man.

"CONNER!" They called out again, but no one answered.

Lois cried as her little boy was lost, alone, and probably miserable out there all alone, and Clark did his best to comfort her, but that's hard when the same thoughts flash through your mind.

()()()()()

Inside the wagon, Superboy and Raven were both crying.

"Oh, I'm a fine conscience." Raven said sarcastically as tears ran down her face.

"I should have listened to you, Raven." Conner said as his own tears fell.

"No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have run out on you when you did a good job in the show." Raven said as she was beginning to cry outright.

"Guess I'll never see my parents again." Conner said as he began to cry outright.

"Oh, no." Raven said as she tried to stop crying. "Don't cry. Be cheerful. Like me."

They then both broke down crying.

"I want my mommy and daddy!" Conner cried.

"Me too!" Raven said as they both cried until Raven swallowed her tears and gulped. "Oh, come on, Conner. Things… Things aren't that bad. At least the rain's stopped, and look at that star right there."

Raven then saw the star coming down.

"Uh-oh." Raven said. "I think it's the lady! The angel! Shayera!"

"What do I say?" Conner asked. "What do I do?"

"You could try telling her the truth." Raven said before hiding in a corner.

Conner then hid his face in his arms as Shayera appeared.

"Conner, I can see you." Shayera said.

"Oh…" Conner said nervously. "Um… Hi."

"I can see you too, Raven." Shayera said.

"Oh nuts." Raven said as she held her hands behind her back and walked up. She didn't like the idea of getting a spanking from this lady. "It's nice to see you again."

"You can put your hands down, Raven." Shayera said. "That's not my style."

"Phew." Raven said with a sigh.

"Now Conner, why didn't you go to school today?" Shayera asked.

"Um… Well…" Conner said with a gulp.

"Well, go ahead and tell her." Raven said.

"I was on my way to school when I met someone." Conner said.

"Met someone?" Shayera asked.

"Yeah, two big monsters with big green eyes!" Conner said as Raven saw Conner's nose grow about three inches.

"Monsters?" Shayera asked like a mother hearing a make-believe story from their son. "Weren't you afraid?"

"Oh no." Conner said. "But they did put me in a big sack."

His nose then grew another few inches as a flower bud appeared at the end as well as two leaves.

"You don't say?" Shayera said. "And where was Raven?"

"Raven?" Conner asked.

"Hey leave me out of this." Raven said.

"They put her in the sack too." Conner said, and his nose grew again, and so did the leaves and the flower.

"No." Shayera said.

"Yes." Conner said, and the flowers fully bloomed.

"How'd you escape?" Shayera said.

"I didn't." Conner said with a smile. "They chopped me into firewood!"

Conner's nose grew a foot, and a nest appeared with two baby blue jays in it.

"Look at my nose!" Conner said, unable to hold it in any longer. "What's happened?"

"Maybe you haven't been telling the truth." Shayera said.

"'Maybe'?" Raven asked. That story could be made into a Grimm's Fairy Tale!

"Oh but I have." Conner said. "Every word."

His nose then grew as the end with the nest dipped, and the blue jays flew off.

"Please help me!" Conner begged. "I'm awful sorry."

"You see Conner?" Shayera asked. "A lie can keep growing and growing until it's as plan as the nose on your face, and no offense kid, but that one was a doozy."

"She's right, Conner." Raven said. "You better come clean."

"I'll never lie again." Conner said. "Honestly! Now please let us out!"

"Alright, but this is the last time I can help you." Shayera said as she touched Conner's nose with her sword, and in a bright flash, she was gone, Conner's nose was back to normal, and the door was wide open.

"Hey look, Raven!" Conner said. "My nose is back to normal!"

"And you're free!" Raven said. "Now let's get outta here!"

They managed to jump out when they passed a grassy area outside of Smallville, and they hid behind a rock as the wagon went out of sight.

"See you later, Luthor." Raven said with a sigh.

"Good-bye Mr. Luthor!" Conner shouted before Raven put her hand over his mouth. "Oops, sorry."

"No problem." Raven said. "Now let's go home. Your mom and dad must be worried sick about you."

"And about you." Conner said.

"Yeah, I bet they're more worried about you." Raven said.

"What's a bet?" Conner asked.

"Forget it." Raven said. "Let's just go home.

* * *

Me: Hooray! Now you two are out of the woods, right?

Raven: You'll see, and keep your voice down.

Kara (sleepily): Yay…


	7. It's Pleasure Island for Me

Chapter Six: It's Pleasure Island for Me

After Slade and Harley paid the bail to release Jack, they went to a pub to spend some of what they had just made at the Red Lobster Pub in celebration of the excellent con involving Conner and Luthor and explained what they did to a local coachman named Blood.

_Hi-Diddiley-Dee_

_An actor's life for me!_

_A high silk hat_

_And a silver cane._

_A watch of gold_

_With a diamond chain._

_Hi-Diddiley-Day_

_An actor's life is gay!_

_It's great to be a celebrity._

_An actor's life for me!_

Jack laughed as he heard Slade explain how he'd tricked that little wooden boy. He had well styled black hair, a purple suit, and he was always smiling about something, which led Slade to belief he was an ex-clown.

"Oh I wish I could have been there to see you ate work, HS!" Jack laughed out.

"It was amazing Mr. J!" Harley said with a hiccup. "That moron fell for it, hook, line, and sinker, and I bet he still thinks we're his pals."

"And did Luthor pay?" Slade asked the coachmen with a smirk. "Plenty."

Slade then dropped a fairly large sack of gold on the counter.

"That goes to show how low Honest Slade Wilson, Jolly Jack Johnson, and Harley Quinzelle will stoop." Jack said with a smirk.

"Now Blood, what's your proposition?" Slade asked.

"Well," Blood said with a sneer. "How would you guys like to make some real money?"

Blood then dropped an enormous sack of gold on the table.

"Ooh, Nellie!" Jack said with a laugh. "So who do we have to bump off?"

"No, no." Blood said. "Nothing like that."

Blood then stopped and looked around before he motioned for the three to move closer.

"You see," Blood went on. "I'm collecting stupid little boys."

"Stupid little boys?" Slade asked.

"You know, the disobedient ones that play hooky from school." Blood said.

"Oh, yes." Slade said.

"You see, I take them off in my carriage and I take them to Pleasure Island." Blood whispered to ensure only Slade and his cohorts heard.

"Ah, Pleasure Island." Slade said before his one eye shot open. "Pleasure Island?"

"But what about the cops?" Jack asked in alarm, for once dropping his smile.

"We could get a one way ticket up da river for this!" Harley said as well.

"No, no, no." Blood said with a smile. "There's no risk. It's not like anyone ever comes back as… _Boys_!"

Blood then laughed darkly as the three hugged each other.

"Now I've got a coach leaving at midnight, and if you three want your money, you'll bring me any prospects you find, and no double-crosses."

"No sir." Slade gulped.

"Are ya sure we should do this, puddin'?" Harley asked as Blood talked with Slade.

"Harley, I'm crazy enough to mess with Luthor, but someone from Pleasure Island, no thank you."

()()()()()

"No sir!" Conner said as he walked back to the house with Raven. "Nothing's gonna stop me now! I'll make good this time!"

"Yeah, that's the stuff Conner!" Raven said with a smile. "Come on, I'll race you home!"

Conner and Raven then ran off when Slade appeared right beside him.

"Well, well, well, Conner." Mr. Honest Slade said with a smile. "What's the rush?"

"I've gotta beat Raven home." Conner said.

"Oh, well how's the great actor?" Slade asked.

"I don't wanna be an actor." Conner explained. "Mr. Luthor was terrible."

"He was?" Slade asked in alarm.

"Yeah, he locked me in a bird cage." Conner said.

()()()()()

All this time, Conner believed he had run very far when in truth, he had been held still by Jack, using Slade's cane to hold Conner back by his britches as Harley did her nails.

"He did?" Slade, who was running in place, asked.

"Yup." Conner said. "But I sure learned my lesson."

"Oh, you poor boy." Slade said. "You must be a nervous wreck. Wait, that's it. You _are_ a nervous wreck."

Slade then picked Conner up.

"We better diagnose this case at once." Slade said.

"Now don't worry CK, our friend Dr. J just came back from a vacation, and he's an expert physician." Harley said as she brought Conner over to Jack, who had put on a pair of glasses.

"Dr. Quinzelle, take notes while I analyze the patient." Jack said.

"Got it, Dr. J." Harley said as she pulled a notebook out of her shirt.

Jack then took Conner's pulse, being wood, there wasn't one.

"Mm… Hm…" Jack said. "Just as I feared. I slight touch of monetary complications with acute solitary conflictions and a triskaidekaphobia."

Jack then held Conner's tongue down with his glasses.

"Say hippopotamus." Jack said.

"Hihohohahus." Conner said as he couldn't move his mouth to well.

"I knew it!" Jack said. "Compound visual pandemonium with recessionary vocabulary."

"Darn, da pen's outta ink!" Harley said as she shook the pen a little. "Okay, you can continue Dr. J."

"Thank you, Dr. Quinzelle." Jack said. "Now close your eyes, what do you see?"

"Nothing." Conner said.

"Open them." Jack said as he held a spotted handkerchief up to Conner's face. "Now what do you see."

"Spots." Conner said.

"Aha!" Jack said. "One more test, and we'll have enough information for a diagnosis. Let's see that heart."

Jack then put his head to Conner's chest as Slade tapped his cane against an opened window to create a beat to a tune he'd had in his head.

"Oh my goodness." Jack said. "A palpitated incubation of the tilla-tilla. With a wickey-wickey-whackey and a po-jo!"

"Yeah, man!" Harley said as she handed what she'd scribbled to Jack.

"Thank you, Doctor." Jack said. "Great scot!"

Jack looked at a picture of himself and Harley with a baby version of himself.

"This makes everything absolutely clear!" Jack then turned to Conner, who looked positively roughed up by now. "My boy, you are allergic."

"Allergic?" Conner asked.

"Yup and there's only one cure." Jack said as he took off the glasses. "A vacation to Pleasure Island!"

Jack, Slade, and Harley then winked at each other.

"Pleasure Island?" Conner asked.

"Yes, that happy land of carefree boys where everyday's a holiday!" Jack said as he hopped around.

"But I can't go." Conner said. "I've gotta-"

"Why of course you can go." Jack said with a wide grin. "Just because you're such a good friend of my best buddy and my sweet heart, I'll give you my ticket."

Jack then produced a joker playing card and gave it to Conner.

"Thanks, but-" Conner said.

"Oh, no need to thank me, kiddo." Jack said. "I insist. Your health comes first."

"Come!" Slade said as he grabbed his shoulders, and Jack and Harley grabbed his arms. "The coach departs at midnight!"

_Hi-Diddiley-Dee!_

_It's Pleasure Isle for me!_

_Where every day is a holiday,_

_And kids have nothing to do but play._

()()()()()_  
_

Raven soon realized that Conner wasn't behind her, and she rushed off to see him being taken away by that Slade guy again.

"Oh no!" Raven muttered as she chased after him. "Get back here!"

* * *

Here we go again.

Raven: Kiddo, you don't know the half of it.

Kara: Uh-oh.

Raven: You better believe it, sweetie.


	8. Pleasure Island

Chapter Seven: Pleasure Island

Raven eventually rushed to a coach as Superboy got on with a sixteen-year-old guy in a black outfit with rex "x"s all over it. Raven clung to the back and groaned.

"Well, here we go again." Raven said. She hoped that this time, Conner had simply been fully and utterly duped, or she'd smack him silly and tell his parents on him.

()()()()()

"My name's Red X." The boy next to Conner said as he looked at him. "You can just call me, Red. What's your name?"

"I'm Conner Kent." Conner said. "You can call me, Conner."

"You ever been to Pleasure Island?" Red asked.

"Uh-uh." Conner said. "But Mr. Jolly Jack gave me his-"

"Me neither." Red said. "But I hear it's a great place. No school. No cops. You could tear that place apart, and no one would mind."

"Jolly Jack gave me-" Conner tried to say again.

"We can goof around." Red said. "There's plenty to eat and drink, and it's all free!"

"What's free mean?" Conner asked.

"It means you don't have to pay for it." Red said. "What, were you born yesterday?"

"Ye-" Conner said.

"Boy Pleasure Island's the place kiddo." Red said. "I can hardly wait."

The carriage went to a boat that eventually arrived at a far off island. In the cliff side were two large double doors.

The boys then rushed in as a huge head said, "Ice cream, hot dogs! Eat all you can! Be a glutton, and it's all free boys! It's all free."

Another building had a guy say, "Enter the Rough House for the roughest toughest fight ya've ever seen."

"Alright, a scrap!" Red said as he saw several boys fighting. "Let's go in an poke someone in the eye."

"Why?" Conner asked.

"Just for the fun of it." Red said.

"Okay Red." Conner said as he followed him inside. Being a real boy was sure gonna be fun if this was what real boys did.

After that, they went to a place called Tobacco Row where several cigars were thrown to them and Conner took one. He wondered what it was for. Red held one like he'd been around them all his life.

()()()()()

"Conner!" Raven shouted as she ran around, bustled around by all the boys, and more than once shoved down and skinning her knee. "Conner! Something's wrong here."

Raven was thinking about all the coachmen's assistants who were dressed in black cloaks that completely hid their faces.

"I've gotta get Conner out of here!" Raven rushed around as much as she could, which was made difficult by all the boys rushing around her, and her skinned knee.

()()()()()

"Hurry, hurry and see the Model Home!" The man said. "It's open for destruction!"

Red and Conner went in, and Red lit a match for his cigar on a painting of a lady in a black dress that looked like she was smiling.

"What did I tell you?" Red asked. "Aint this a swell joint?"

"It sure is, Red." Conner said as he knocked down a potted plant he didn't like. "Being bad's a lot of fun."

"Hey kiddo, get a load of that stained glass window." Red said as he tossed a brick at it, and it shattered into a million pieces.

()()()()()

Blood was smirking to himself. Things were going right on schedule.

"Okay men, you know what to do." Blood said. "Close those doors and lock them tight."

He then turned and smirked.

"Give a bad boy enough of this stuff, and he'll make a jack-ass out of himself in the end." Blood said with a sneer.

* * *

Uh-oh. Things look bad.

Kara: Mommy, does your knee still hurt?

Raven: Oh no, sweetie. It's all better now.

Kara: I'm gonna kiss it anyway to make sure.


	9. Of Girls, Boys, and Donkeys

Chapter Eight: Of Girls, Boys, and Donkeys

Only an hour or two after arriving, the place ended up deserted, and Raven didn't see anybody leaving the gates. Maybe there was some big house they lived in. The only one out there was Raven, with her skinned knee, torn cloak, and dusty leotard.

"Conner!" Raven called out. "Conner? Where is everybody? The place looks like a graveyard. I don't like how this looks. Conner, where are you?"

Raven saw a place that looked like an eight ball and walked towards it since it was the only place where light was.

()()()()()

Red was playing a game called pool with Conner just for fun, and to rest after their long night.

"Where do you think the other kids went, Red?" Conner asked as he held his cigar.

"Ah, they're around here somewhere." Red said. "What do you care, anyway? You're having a good time, aren't you?"

Red then made a really cool shot with the cue ball that made it carry the three ball into the left corner pocket.

"Uh-uh." Conner said. "I sure am."

"This is the life, huh Conner?" Red asked.

"Yeah." Conner said after taking three small drags on his barely used cigar. He didn't really like how it tasted. "It sure is."

"Oh, you smoke like my grandma." Red said as he grabbed his cigar from a table. "Take a big drag like this."

Red then used up half the cigar with one drag.

"Okay Red." Conner said, and he took a huge drag that used up the whole cigar, and he gulped it down. He felt sick. He felt like all that ice cream, pie, and cotton candy he ate was about to come back on him.

"Some fun, huh kid?" Red asked.

"Yeah." Conner gasped. Maybe he should stop smoking if it made him feel this bad after doing it.

"Alright Sup." Red said as a nickname since Conner told him about Lex Luthor. "Your shot."

Conner tried to hit the cue ball, but he didn't know which of the three white balls he saw it was. He had a new cigar in his mouth just to look cool in front of Red, and he was shaking horribly.

"What's the matter, Sup?" Red asked. "Losing your grip?"

()()()()()

Raven went into the eight ball and saw Conner playing pool with a cigar in his mouth.

"CONNER!" Raven shouted, and Conner was so scared, he spewed the cigar out, and it fell into the wall. "So this is where you've been! How do you ever expect to be a real boy? Look at you, you look sick, and no wonder! You're smoking! If you were a real boy, that could kill you! Playing pool?"

Raven then kicked the table, but she only ended up hurting her foot.

"OUCH!" Raven screamed. "You're coming home with me, and that's that, and I don't care if it makes me a snitch or not, I'm telling your parents what you've been doing here!"

"Who's the girl?" The guy in the black outfit from the carriage asked as he pulled Raven up by her cloak.

"Hey, put me down!" Raven shouted.

"She's my conscience Red!" Conner said happily. "She tells me what's right and wrong.

"What?" Red said with a laugh. "You take orders from a girl?"

"Hey!" Raven said angrily. "It wouldn't hurt you to take orders from your girl… I mean… Your conscience!"

"Ah, looks like the little girl's cranky." Red said with a sneer that only made Raven angrier. "Is it past your nap time?"

"I'll give you a nap you won't forget, you big bully!" Raven said as she took off her cloak and was about to go after him when Conner held her back by her belt. "I'll knock your block off! I'll take you apart and put you back together again!"

"Don't hurt him, Raven." Conner said calmly. "He's my best friend."

"I'll-" Raven said before she heard what Conner said and turned around. "Your best friend? Then what am I? Just your conscience I suppose! Oh, no wait I'm sorry, I'm your_ girl_ conscience! So did Red try and get you out of Lex Luthor's cage only to get knocked in your head by a paper clip? Oh no wait, that was me! Did he stay up half the night clinging to the back of a speeding coach for dear life to make sure you were okay? No, that was me!" She could feel she was crying now, but she didn't care. "Did he spend the other half of the night trying to find you only to get a scraped knee, a whole in his cloak, and his clothes all gruffed up from being shoved around by a bunch of mean stupid boys? No that was me! But you don't care! You're just a big meanie like the rest of them! I never wanna see you again! I hope you have a good time here! I'm done! You can find another conscience!"

"But Raven-" Conner began, but she interrupted.

"You buttered your bread, now sleep in it!" Raven put her cloak back on and ran out crying, and she wasn't going back this time! She didn't care what happened to Conner! He was just a big jerk that didn't care about anybody! Not himself! Not his mom and dad! Not Krypto! Not her! All he cared about was doing stupid stuff like ditching school to become a prisoner of a bald, crazy guy and going to a stupid island that had nothing to do but stupid stuff!

"Raven!" Conner called out, but Red stopped him.

"Ah, let her go." Red said. "Girls are always over emotional."

()()()()()

A few moments later, Raven was walking out moodily.

"Red." Raven muttered. "Red's a stupid name! This really burns me up! After all the help I tried to give him! Who was supposed to be his conscience anyway? Me or Red? Well I've had enough! I quit! I'm out of here!"

Raven was at the door and knocked out.

"Hey let me out!" Raven shouted. "I wanna go home!"

She was so mad that she failed to remember that she didn't have a home to go back to without Conner.

She then heard donkeys braying on the other side of the door and knelt down to look through the key hole. There she saw loads of donkeys, and most of them were crying.

"Alright, keep the line moving, guys!" Blood called out. "We haven't got all night."

"Where'd all those donkeys come from?" Raven wondered.

"Come on." Blood muttered. "Let's have another!"

A donkey was pulled up, and he was wearing a blue sweater and a cap.

"So what's your name?" Blood asked as if expecting the Donkey to talk, but it just brayed. "Alright, you'll do."

Blood then tore off the donkey's sweater and hat and tossed him into a pen.

"Into the boat with you!" Blood said as the donkey was shoved into a crate that read, "Sold to the salt mines". "You boys will bring a pretty nice price. Next?"

A donkey in a sailor's suit was brought out.

"So what's your name?" Blood asked.

"Jason." The donkey said fearfully, and Raven's mouth would've dropped if she'd been standing up. A talking donkey?

"So you can talk?" Blood asked.

"Yes sir." Jason said. "And I wanna go home to my Mom!"

"Put him in the pen!" Blood shouted as Jason was shoved into the pen without his clothes being removed. "The brat can still talk!"

Jason was tossed into a pen with other clothed donkeys, and they all pleaded to be let out until Blood cracked the whip he'd used for the coach.

"QUIET!" Blood shouted. "You boys had your fun, and now you'll pay for it. Besides, you're the lucky ones. You get to stay here forever. Isn't that what you wanted?"

As Blood laughed, Raven backed away.

"Boys?" She exclaimed. "So if they were the boys, then… Oh no! Conner!"

Raven ran back to the pool hall, all anger forgotten. She might not be Conner's best friend, but Conner was her best friend, and she couldn't let this happen to him!

()()()()()

"Heh." Red said as he took a drink of beer. "To hear that girl talk, you'd think something was going to happen to us."

Suddenly, Conner saw Red's ears grow and gain brown fur. Conner looked at the beer in his hand and shoved it away, hoping he'd just had too much again.

"Conscience." Red muttered. "Ah, phooey."

As Red bent over to shoot, a donkey's tail poked out of his rear. Conner then flicked the cigar away to make sure that he didn't start smoking it again to keep his mouth shut.

"Where's he get that stuff?" Red asked. "'How do you ever expect to be a real boy?'"

Red bent down to shoot again, and when he stood up, he had a donkey's face and mane.

"What's he think I look like?" Red asked. "A jack-ass?"

"You sure do!" Conner said as he laughed, which quickly turned into a donkey's.

"Hey, you laugh like a donkey!" Red said as he laughed too, but that turned into a bray as well. "Did that come out of me?"

"Uh-uh." Conner said nervously.

Red put his hands up and felt his face and ears and looked at a broken mirror that was hit by a stray pool ball.

"AH!" Red said. "I've been double-crossed! Help, help! Somebody! I've been framed!"

He then knelt down in front of Conner.

"Please Sup, you've gotta help me! You've just gotta! Call that girl! Call Batman! Call anybody!" As Red grabbed Conner's jacket, he suddenly let go, and his hands turned into hooves.

"Mama!" Red shouted as he stood up. "Ma… Ma . . .!"

The test of Red's pleas died away into a donkey's bray as he was one all floors carrying on like the donkey he had turned into. He was kicking around so much, he ended up kicking his clothes off.

Conner could have slapped himself for not listening to Raven again! At this rate, he'd be lucky if he a real boy in a year! Suddenly, he felt something, and he pulled his ears down to see that they were gray donkey ears.

"Oh no!" Conner called out. "What's happened?"

Conner then struck his last thought! He'd be lucky if he was still a _puppet_ after this!

()()()()()

Raven rushed to the pool hall, she was nearly there.

"I hope I'm not too late!" Raven said.

()()()()()

"This is terrible!" Conner cried out. "What do I do?"

Suddenly, a tail poked out from his rear. At the same time, Raven rushed in.

"Conner!" Raven called out.

"Raven!" Conner called out. "Raven, I'm sorry! You are my best friend! I shouldn't have called Red that, he was one of those temptations you were talking about, the same with Slade, Jack, and Harley! Now please help!"

"No time to get into long winded explanations, but all the kids are turning into-" Raven's eyes then widened when she got a good look at Conner. "Oh, not you too!"

"Yup!" Conner said.

"Come on!" Raven cried out. "We've gotta get out of here before you get any worse!"

They ran as fast as they could, and it was relatively easy to get around, and Raven noticed a cliffside.

"That way!" Raven called out. "It's probably the only way out!"

They climbed up.

"We've gotta hurry before we're seen!" Raven called out as she held onto Conner's tail.

"I hope my strength holds out!" Conner said.

"I hope your tail holds out!" Raven groaned.

They reached the edge and looked down.

"There's nothing else for it, but to jump!" Raven said, and they did so.

* * *

Well what happened next?

Raven: Sorry, I gotta catch my breath. Just thinking of that climb makes me dizzy.

Kara: Mommy, why did the mean man make all the kids into donkeys to sell them?

Raven: Because there are some people who will do anything to make a quick buck.


	10. Search for Monstro

Chapter Nine: Search for Monstro

An hour later, the two made it to shore as Conner held an exhausted Raven.

"Raven, are you okay?" Conner asked.

"No, Mommy, I don't wanna wear a pink dress." Raven mumbled before Conner shook her. "Oh, oh." Raven gasped. "Thanks for helping me out after half-an-hour. To be honest, I never thought we'd make it. Sure is nice to be back on good old dry land. Now let's go home."

"You won't hear me complaining." Conner said. "So, I'll just tell my parents the truth about how I ended up with these ears and a tail and accept whatever they give me as a punishment."

"If I know Mr. and Mrs. Kent, they'll understand." Raven said. "Heck, technically, you're only one day old."

They arrived at the Kent farm and wood shop as the two pounded on the door.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" Conner shouted happily as he knocked on the door.

"We're home Mr. and Mrs. Kent!" Raven shouted.

Conner pulled the bell again and again, but nothing happened.

"Maybe they're asleep." Raven said, and they walked up a set of stairs to a patio to look into the bed room, but the big bed was empty.

"No Mr. and Mrs. Kent." Raven said.

"And no Krypto too." Conner said as he pointed to a dusty dog bowel by the bed.

They then sat down on the steps.

"What if something awful happened to them?" Conner asked.

"Don't worry." Raven said. "They can't have gone far if they're just out looking for you."

()()()()()

Shayera was floating by with a scroll in her hands as she hummed to herself. She looked at Conner and Raven on the steps of the door shop and dropped the scroll.

"Oops." She said with a grin before disappearing.

()()()()()

Raven ended up with a scroll landing next to her.

"What's that?" Conner asked.

"It's a letter about your mom and dad!" Raven said as she unfurled it.

"What's it say?" Conner asked. "Where is he?"

"Okay, it says he went looking for you, and he was swallowed by a whale." Raven said.

"A whale?" Conner asked in alarm.

"Yeah." Raven said before she realized what she'd said. "A whale?" She went back to reading. "A whale named Monstro! Oh thank goodness, they're all still alive."

"Phew." Conner said. "Where are they?"

"At the bottom of the sea." Raven said.

"Alright, looks like I'll have to go get him." Conner said.

"Yeah, go get-" Raven said. "What?"

Raven guessed she still had some water on the brain as she wasn't normally this slow.

"Are you crazy, Conner?" Raven asked. "Your parents are in a whale!"

"I've gotta help them." Conner said.

"Hey wait!" Raven called out.

()()()()()

By dawn, they'd reached the shore again.

"Conner, you don't know what you're doing!" Raven said. "I've heard about Monstro! He's a whale of a whale!"

While she was trying to talk Conner out of this, Conner tied his tail around a rock.

"Oh, let me help you." Raven said as she held her finger as Conner tightened his tail into a not.

"Good-bye, Raven." Conner said.

"Good-bye?" Raven asked. "I may not like it, but I'm not leaving you to face Monstro alone!"

"Thanks, but how would you breathe down there?" Conner asked.

"Um…" Raven said. "Uh…"

Suddenly, a big black oblong thing fell on Raven's head and dropped down with a tag and a hawk feather. Raven picked the oblong thing up and read the tag.

"'Blue Angel Inc's amphi-ampha-' Holy cow, that's a big word. 'Amphi-bi-us capsule. Take one, and you can breathe under water for a whole day.' Cool!"

Raven swallowed the pill.

"Let's go!"

"Okay!" Conner said as they jumped down.

"Geronimo!" Raven called out.

"What's that?" Conner asked.

"I don't know." Raven said. "It's just something people shout out when they jump out of something."

Once they were underwater, Conner pulled himself to the ground by his tail and began to walk off.

"Come on, Raven." Conner asked, sounding like he was drinking a glass of water.

"Okay." Raven said. "I just need some ballast."

Raven then saw a fish get close to her.

"Sorry, could you give me room?" Raven asked, and the fish did so as she pulled a rock into her cloak, and she began to move when she ended up upside down. "Oops."

Raven then took the rock and tied the back of her cloak around it, and she followed Conner.

"This sure is a big place." Conner said.

"No kidding." Raven said.

"Mom?" Conner called out. "Dad?"

"Mom?" Raven called out. "Dad? Oh wait, they're not my parents. I mean, Mr. and Mrs. Kent?"

They arrived at an area with several sea horses, crabs, and fish.

"Hello." Conner said. "We're looking for Monstro."

All the creatures ran off like there wasn't a moment to lose.

"That was weird." Raven said.

"I guess they're afraid." Conner said.

"No kidding." Raven said. They went back to searching.

"Mom?" Conner called out. "Dad?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Kent?" Raven called out.

Both the children hoped they'd be able to find them.

* * *

Got a whale of a tale to tell next chapter.

Kara: Mommy, I thought Shayera said that when she helped you and Conner get away from the mean man was the last time she could help you.

Raven: I think she meant outright help us, dear.


	11. Reuniting and Escaping

Chapter Ten: Reuniting and Escaping

Deep inside the belly of Monstro, Clark and Lois were fishing for fish Monstro had swallowed. The ship they had purchased to look for their son was still amazingly in good condition, and they were both getting sick of fish already after a day, but they had already gotten through what they had caught during the last feeding several hours ago, and they had no idea when he'd feed again.

"Not a bite for hours." Clark said. "If things go on like this, we're in big trouble."

"No kidding dear." Lois said as she stroked Krypto, who had put his head on her lap.

They then all sneezed from being in a whale's cold clammy belly for so long.

"I never thought it'd end this way." Clark said. "Starving to death in the belly of a whale."

"Our poor little Conner." Lois said as she stroked Krypto some more and thought of her little lost boy.

"He was such a good boy." Clark sighed.

"It's hopeless you two." Lois said as she checked her fishing pole, which had nothing on it. "There's not a fish left from here to this thing's upper intestine."

"I'm afraid you're right, Lois." Clark said. "If this thing doesn't wake up soon and swallow a whole lot of fish really soon, we'll be finished in a matter of days."

()()()()()

Meanwhile, Monstro woke up and noticed a large school of very tasty looking tuna fish. They rushed away when they saw he was awake, but Monstro opened his mouth and began sucking them in.

()()()()()

Suddenly, several fish came in through the mouth of Monstro.

"Here they come!" Clark called out. "Look at all the tuna fish!"

They quickly pulled out several fish on their fishing rods as the boat rocked back and forth, and they continued to get them. After catching some, they threw them into a troth.

"Make sure they stay in there, Krypto!" Clark called out.

Krypto then batted all the extra fish into the troth and barked them into staying there.

()()()()()

Conner was swimming around when he saw several panicked fish swim away.

"Hey wait, have you guys seen-" suddenly, he saw a huge whale. "MONSTRO!"

"Uh-oh!" Raven called out as they ran for it.

()()()()()

The troth was filling up quickly.

"I've never seen so many fish in my life!" Clark called out.

"We could be set for the rest of our time in here!" Lois called out.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Krypto barked as he slapped down a fish.

()()()()()

Conner and Raven ended up stuck when the rocks holding them to the floor were caught between two pieces of coral! They were able to untie each other and rushed off, and by the time they'd hit the open air, Monstro came up from below and swallowed them both alive!

They then got tossed around by the sea.

"This is fun!" Conner said. "If I wasn't worried about Mom and Dad, I'd really enjoy this!"

"Fun?" Raven asked. "We're about to become whale poop!"

The two then caught onto two fish that were moving up, and they ended up on a ship, but it wasn't just any ship. On that ship were Clark and Lois.

"Looks like there's only a few left in here." Clark said.

"That's good, because there's only a little room left in here." Lois replied.

"Mom!" Conner called out happily. "Dad!"

"Don't bother us now, Conner!" Clark said until he stopped and left the other fish to whatever was going to happen to them. "Conner?"

"Oh my baby!" Lois called out as she hugged and kissed a very wet Conner all over.

"Mom!" Conner said happily. "Dad!"

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Kent." Raven said before she was pulled into the family hug as well. "Whoa!"

"We're so happy to see you two." Clark said with a smile.

"Me too!" Conner said as Krypto ran up and barked happily. "Krypto!"

Krypto then licked both of their faces.

"Ah!" Raven exclaimed as Krypto licked her already wet face.

"Ahchoo!" Conner sneezed.

"Oh, you're soaking wet!" Lois said. "And no wonder, jumping into the ocean. You mustn't catch cold."

"I came to save you two." Conner said.

"Oh, you shouldn't have come." Clark said as he wrapped him in a blanket. "But I'm really glad you did."

"Me too, now let me look at you." Lois said. "Anything chipped or broken?"

"No." Conner said as Lois and Clark took a good look at Conner and gasped. "What?"

"Th-those ears!" Lois said.

"Ears?" Conner said. He had almost forgotten about his little souvenirs from Pleasure Island. "Oh yeah! That's nothing, I got a tail too!"

Conner then laughed as another donkey bray escaped his mouth, and Krypto jumped and hid while Raven looked down. They were both in trouble now.

"Son, what happened?" Clark asked.

"Well…" Conner said guiltily. "I…"

"Oh, it doesn't matter." Lois said as she picked Superboy up and hugged him. "You're still my brave little boy, and you're back!"

Raven began walking away.

"Raven, where are you going?" Conner asked.

"Um…" Raven said. "Just to give you guys some more private time."

"I don't think so." Lois said as she picked Raven up and held her too. "Your last name may not be Kent, but you're a part of this family too."

"Really?" Raven asked.

"Really." Clark said.

"Cool! Ahchoo!"

"Oh, looks like you two will have to share the blanket since it's the only one we've got." Lois said as she wrapped Raven up.

"After lunch, let's get out!" Conner said. "This was a fun place to visit, but I don't wanna live here!"

"Get out?" Clark said. "What do you think we've been doing? We've tried everything. Your mother and I even built a raft, but nothing worked."

"Couldn't you have gotten out when Monstro opened his mouth?" Raven asked.

"No because he only opens his mouth when he's eating." Lois said. "Then everything comes in and nothing goes out."

"Oh." Raven said. "Well this is depressing."

"Come on kids." Clark said. "Let's make a nice fire and cook some of the fish."

"Fire…" Conner said. "Fire… A fire! That's it!"

"Yes, and then we can all enjoy something to eat." Lois said.

"A great big fire with lots of smoke!" Conner shouted as he hadn't really been listening.

"How'd you know I like smoked fish?" Lois asked.

"Wait a minute!" Clark said as he smiled like Conner. "Son, you're a genius! Grab the chair! I'll grab some of the fire wood!"

"Wait, the chair?" Lois asked as Raven got what Conner was planning and brought in a barrel that Conner smashed the chair on.

"Hurry Mom, more wood!" Conner called out.

"But what are we gonna sit on?" Lois asked.

"We won't need it!" Conner said. "We're getting out of here!"

Conner smashed a lamp on the pile of wood as it caught fire just as easily as when Conner put his finger to the candle.

"How?" Lois asked.

"We're gonna make him sneeze." Clark said as Raven put the blanket on the fire and blew with Clark and Conner.

"Make him sneeze?" Lois asked. "Oh, that'll make him mad."

"AH… AH… AH…" Monstro said a few moments later as everyone caught onto the raft and cut the line holding it there.

"It won't work!" Lois called out.

"That's what you said when I made that big music box back home!" Clark said.

"Hurry, we have to be ready to row after the sneeze!" Conner called out.

"When did you get so smart?" Raven asked.

"I don't know." Conner said.

"We'll never get past his teeth!" Lois said.

"Yes we will!" Conner said.

"Wait a minute, the teeth!" Raven called out. "We'll be shiskabobed if he closes his teeth while we're getting through!"

"Not with the sail ready!" Clark said as he tied it open with Conner.

"Here we go!" Conner said as he and Clark grabbed a row, and they were blown away with a loud "CHOOOOOOO!"

"Gazuntite." Raven said as she starred at Monstro, who looked about half his size from where they were.

"AH…" Monstro said again. "AH…"

"Here we go again!" Lois cried out.

"Don't worry we'll make it!" Conner said as he paddled with Clark. "Faster son, Faster!"

Raven and Lois then joined in as there was a loud "CHOOOOOOOO!" From Monstro again, and they were blown forward again, this time skipping a little like a stone.

"We made it!" Conner said.

"I need new underwear!" Raven said as she looked down at herself.

"Me too!" Lois said, and they began rowing towards the shore, which was mercifully close when Monstro roared and chased after them.

"I told you two he'd be mad!" Lois said.

Monstro then dove under the water.

"He's gone!" Clark said.

"Where'd he go?" Conner asked when suddenly, Monstro appeared below them, and they had to chase after the raft and jumped back on.

"He's coming back!" Raven shouted.

"He's trying to get us!" Clark shouted. "Paddle son!"

They tried to get out of Monstro's charge, but he charged down on them.

"Backwards!" Conner called out, and they paddled backwards, and they missed him, except his tail.

"Look out!" Clark shouted as the tail came down. "Jump!"

They ended up in the water and were pushed towards the shore by the force.

"Mom?" Conner called out as he managed to keep himself a float. "Dad? Raven? Krypto?"

"I'm here with Krypto!" Raven said as she held onto Krypto's side.

"Where's Mom and Dad?" Conner asked before he saw Clark and Lois on a piece of drift wood.

"Conner…" Lois said weakly.

"Son…" Clark said just as weakly. "Swim for shore… Swim for shore…"

Monstro then came up again!

"Hold on, Mom and Dad!" Conner called out as he swam to them with Krypto.

"Save… Yourself…" Clark said as he lost consciousness. Conner grabbed him and began to pull him towards shore as Raven and Krypto pulled Lois.

Conner saw Monstro coming and saw a small cave Monstro could never get through. He then made to swim through that. Krypto and Raven followed him with Lois as Conner kept a firm hold of his father when the waves covered the cave, but Conner kept swimming in the direction of the cave until he made it in, with Krypto, Raven, and Lois going first thanks to Krypto's four legs and Raven's help. Conner then made it through just as Monstro smashed into the wall… And everything turned to blackness.

()()()()()

When Monstro smashed into the rock, everyone was forced through, and Raven was dizzy as she tried to get her bearings. She saw a breathing Mr. and Mrs. Kent as they both said things like, "Conner… Save yourself… Don't mind us, son… Save yourself."

Krypto walked up to his two unconscious masters and licked them to try and get them up. Raven walked around the beach looking for Conner.

"Conner?" She called out. "Conner? Conner? CON- Oh dear lord, no."

Conner was lying face down in a puddle of water. Raven pulled him up and saw his eyes closed, and he wasn't moving.

"Conner please wake up." Raven said as she began to cry. "Conner… CONNER!"

* * *

Oh no, that can't be true, can it?


	12. Wishes Come True

Chapter Eleven: Wishes Come True

The journey back home was a very somber affair as no one really talked much, and Lois carried Conner's lifeless wooden body. To see Conner in his mother's arms, his eyes closed, and his joints splintered in places, made Raven cry too.

When they got home, Lois placed Conner on their bed as she and Clark laid their heads on the foot of it and wept.

"Our boy…" Lois sobbed.

"Our brave little boy." Clark sobbed as well.

Raven hugged Krypto as she cried over the loss of her best friend. She wished that he could come back. She'd give anything for him to come back. All the philosophical question about what happened to the soul of something that never naturally had one were pushed away as she only let one thought fill her mind.

_Please Miss Shayera. Please bring Conner back to us._

()()()()()_  
_

Shayera heard the call and looked down from heaven on the lifeless wooden boy.

"Prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish, and someday you'll be a real boy." Shayera said as she sent a spark of light from her sword that landed on Conner. "Awake Conner Kent. Awake."

()()()()()

Conner woke up, and he looked around. He was back at home. He must have passed out after getting his dad through the cave when he saw Clark and Lois crying on the bed.

"Mom, Dad, what are you two crying for?" Conner asked.

"Because… Your dead Conner." Clark said.

"No I'm not." Conner said with a laugh.

"Yes you are." Lois said sadly. "Now lie back down, dear."

But I am alive!" Conner said with a smile. "See?" He waved an arm, and he suddenly looked at it. It wasn't wood. It was skin. He was actually breathing. He put his hand to his chest and felt a heart beat inside of it. "And I'm real. MOM, DAD, I'M A REAL BOY!"

"You're alive?" Lois asked with happy surprise.

"And you are a real boy!" Clark said with a laugh as he tossed his son up into the air and caught him.

"Yay!" Raven screams as she ran up and got lifted up into Clark's arms too as she hugged Conner.

Krypto barked happily as he ran around everybody.

"This calls for a celebration!" Clark called out and everybody turned on all the music boxes.

()()()()()

They all danced around and laughed as Raven took a quick break to look at the stars.

"Thank you, Miss Shayera." Raven said. "Conner deserved to be a real boy and it was really nice of you to-" Raven stopped when a light shown on her, and a badge appeared as well. "Ooh."

Turning her head and the front of her leotard, she read the badge which said this.

Raven Roth

Official Conscience

18 carrot gold

"Wow." Raven said. "Thanks. I think it's swell."

Raven then went inside to play with Conner, and they all lived happily ever after.

* * *

_When your heart is full of dreams,_

_No request is too extreme._

_When you wish upon a star,_

_Your dreams… Come… True…_

As Raven closed the photo album, Kara was yawning and turned to the wishing star.

"Starlight, star bright. First star I see tonight, I wish I may. I wish I might, have the wish I make tonight." Kara said. "I'd like my daddy and my grandparents to come home, please."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"DADDY!" Kara called out as she rushed out of bed.

"Kara, no!" Raven said as she rushed after her daughter, and when she arrived, she saw Kara hugging and kissing her father Conner. "I was just about to put her to bed you mischief maker."

Raven smiled at her husband and kissed him.

"Won't you ever change?" Raven asked with a smile.

"Daddy, is it true Grandma and Grandpa carved you out of wood?" Kara asked.

"Where'd you hear that?" Conner asked.

"Mommy told me." Kara said as she pointed at Raven.

"Well it is true." Conner said. "Now, go to sleep, and we'll visit Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Kara then turned to Raven before she went upstairs. "Mommy, you were right! My wish did come true!"

"I told you." Raven said with a smile. "Now off to bed. You wanna be well rested for Grandma and Grandpa."

Raven and Conner then sat in a chair by the fire place and reminisced about everything. Their first meeting, Shayera, Lex Luthor, Pleasure Island, Monstro, and they fell asleep right there.

_Like a boat out of the blue._

_Fate steps in and sees it through._

_When you wish upon a star,_

_Your dreams. . . Come . . . True. . .

* * *

_

Well that's it for that story. I'll set up a new poll for the next story, so I'll see you then.

Raven: Of course you won't be able to do that for a few days.

Me: Eh?

Raven: You interrupted me several times, so get ready for a week as Kara's little brother, starting now!

Me: Aw…


End file.
